


our little corner of the world

by sad_goomy



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Camping, Childhood Friends, Confessions, Crushes, F/M, Feelings Realization, First Dates, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, PostwickShipping, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:35:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22634434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sad_goomy/pseuds/sad_goomy
Summary: With so many new people to meet, a whole region to explore, and doomsdays to stop, it's a small wonder that the most important person in the world would be right next door.A collection of drabbles and one-shots for Postwickshipping Week.
Relationships: Hop/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 61
Kudos: 233





	1. cold nights

When Gloria mentions she should probably head home, Hop is more than eager to offer to walk with her, if only to avoid any further teasing from Sonia. She seems to have a sixth sense for when the Champion is coming to visit the lab, despite Hop never telling her, and she’s having far too much fun waggling her eyebrows and making faces at her young assistant after correctly guessing his crush. 

As he hangs up his lab coat, grabs his bag, and follows her out the door, Gloria turns to him, nose scrunched up in such a way that he immediately thinks of kissing it (though it admittedly doesn’t take much to get him thinking about kissing her). “Sonia’s been acting a bit funny.” 

“Has she?” It comes out far too quick to be subtle, complete with a voice crack that has him wondering why he ever speaks at all, seriously, at this rate he should find a monastery and take a vow of silence just to avoid further embarrassment. 

But she doesn’t say anything about it, doesn’t seem to notice as they reach the edge of Wedgehurst. Instead, she just looks up at him with this little lopsided smile and he does his very best to not think about kissing the upturned corner of her mouth. 

_Too late,_ he sighs to himself, forcing his eyes back on the road, grateful that it’s dark enough out to cover the worst of his blush. He doesn’t usually walk home this late; technically, his shift at the lab ended nearly an hour ago, but when Gloria texted him about visiting, he didn’t think twice about waiting for her and ordering takeout. 

A breeze whistles in the air, and he can feel Gloria shiver as she walks next to him. With a quick glance at her out of the corner of his eye, he realizes that she’s without her usual jacket. She feels his stare, looking up at him before back down at the ground, unusually sheepish as she mumbles, “I was in a bit of a rush to get to the lab. Must’ve left my coat at the stadium.” 

She was in a rush to see him. She wanted to see him so badly that she didn’t even think of the weather, couldn’t feel how cold it had gotten as she ran outside to catch the train. 

_Oh don’t make a big deal out of it,_ half his brain chastises him, ignoring the half that at the same time chants, _Kiss_ _her right now or you just might die._

He settles on instead shrugging off his jacket, not breaking his stride as he then drapes it over Gloria’s shoulders, the fabric swallowing her up. She pauses, blinking up at him with a question clear in her eyes. He answers it with a shrug, praying his voice is even and smooth rather than the erratic rhythm his heart has taken on at the sight of her in his clothes. “We can’t have the crown jewel of Galar catching cold.” 

“Well when you put it like that...” 

Her giggle is soft, warm enough that he doesn’t even notice the next night wind that blows past him. She slides her arms into the sleeves, her cheek nuzzling against the shearling at the collar, and he wills himself to not melt at the sight. Sometimes he forgets just how small she is, that while the rest of the region sees her as a Champion, she’ll always be the girl next door in his eyes. 

They get to her door all too quickly. The fact that Route 1 is so short must be just to taunt him, to rob him of the sight of her wearing his jacket. 

She turns, her keys in one hand as she gives him a final smile, and there’s something one part impish, two parts adoring in her eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” 

“Of course,” he says, without missing a beat, because the truth is that if she could, if she let him, he’d see her every hour on the hour (and maybe then some). 

Then, quick as a flash and too smooth for it to have not been planned, she steps forward and up on her toes, pressing her lips to his warm cheek. When she steps back, a coy grin on her face, Hop is ninety percent sure that he’s gaping like a Magikarp struggling for air. He can’t form a single thought, can’t feel anything except a searing heat on his face that grows, spreading throughout his body until he’s feverish and aching. 

Gloria opens her door, giving him one last look that he hopes against hope means that things aren’t unrequited, and whispers, “Thanks again for the jacket.” 

He stands there in silence long after she’s closed the door, because he can’t dare to move for the fear that once he does, he’ll wake up from this dream. When his feet finally start working again, he walks home with a wide grin, absolutely invincible as he whistles to himself. 

And sure, he wakes up the next morning with a sniffle, but it’s more than worth it when he also gets to wake up to a photo of her wearing his jacket and a text that reads ‘I wear it better ;)’. 

Hop is inclined to agree. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sonia would be the #1 shipper of these two you cannot change my mind
> 
> kicking off this week with some good ol' pre-relationship fluff, because these two are the epitome of "awkward first crush"


	2. jealousy

In ten years, they’ll look back on this moment and have a good laugh at their shenanigans. 

Right now, though, Gloria is five years old and moments away from murdering her twin and best friend. 

The sign on the door has clearly been hastily made, wiggly words of magic marker far too proudly declaring “no girls allowed” alongside a doodle of her – it has to be her, because they’ve written her name and an arrow pointing to it – with a big red X over it. 

Her cheeks puff out, flushing red in righteous fury as she raises both of her little fists and slams on the bedroom door with all her might. “I know you’re in there!” 

They hush their own giggles and she waits, crossing her arms with a pout. The door opens just a crack, just enough for her to see a sliver of Hop’s smiling face, although she can hear her twin brother’s muffled giggles. 

Hop opens his mouth, but she cuts him off, huffing, “It’s not fair! It’s my room, too.” 

“Aw, c’mon Gloria, we’re having a lads’ night, like Lee.” Hop’s smile grows wider, and it only makes her frown deeper, because she doesn’t know what that means, but if Leon does it then it must be something real and important. 

Still, Hop’s her best friend too, and it’s unfair that Victor gets to play with him more than her. Maybe Hop just likes Victor more; after all, they’re both boys, and Victor’s really smart. 

She feels hot tears prickling the corners of her eyes, and she blinks them back furiously as her lower lip wobbles. Victor isn’t an angry crier – no wonder Hop wants to play with him instead, he’s not a crybaby like her. 

But instead of teasing her like she thinks he will, Hop’s face falls, and he opens the door a little wider as his voice drops all playfulness. “Aw, don’t cry Glo.” He steps forward, wraps her into a quick hug as she tries not to sniffle. Over Hop’s shoulder, she can see Victor’s head poking out from behind the door, his brows furrowed in worry. 

When Hop pulls back, he gives her a thousand-watt smile, patting her cheek as he tells her simply, “We can hang out later, promise.” 

And she mumbles an okay, letting him go back into the bedroom and close the door, deciding then and there that she’ll have to get them back for this at some point. 

* * *

Much to Gloria’s chagrin, lads’ nights become a mainstay in Victor and Hop’s friendship, though they take a few different forms over the years. Recently, they’ve become a movie marathon night, where once a week they kick her out of the living room and they spend six hours on the couch, watching subpar movies and laughing together, texting about things she isn’t allowed to see. 

The few times she’s tried to join them, even resorting to sneaking in just to see what the two actually do on a Friday night, they’ve quickly caught her and thrown her out. 

Tonight, she has a different tactic. 

Hop’s the one who hears her coming down the stairs first, and he lifts his head from where he’s sprawled out on the couch, more than ready to tease her for trying to infiltrate their night while wearing such noisy heels. 

But when he looks up, he feels the air in his lungs escape, his mouth falling open. 

She’s in a dark red dress that looks like an oversized blazer, and her makeup is darker than usual, and Hop realizes in this moment that she could punch him in the face right now and he’d thank her for it. 

Her eyes slide past him and to her brother lying on the loveseat as she purrs, “I’ll be back late, don’t wait up.” 

Victor raises a brow, quickly signing, _Where are you going?_

“Out to Spikemuth with a couple others. Marnie’s found a new club that we’re checking out.” She chews on her cheek for a moment, leaning on the archway as she asks, “Spare a cider? We aren’t having a pregame but I need something.” 

_In the fridge,_ Victor signs before turning his attention back to the television, where the second act of their latest in a line of B-movies begins. 

“Owe you one.” Gloria turns on her heel, heading across the hall to the kitchen without a second look back, leaving Hop to stare after her. 

He forces himself to look away when she disappears into the kitchen, but even as he stares at the screen, all he can see is that red dress. Finishing his drink does absolutely nothing to calm the sudden restless energy that’s overtaken him, and he’s too busy wondering what she’ll be doing tonight to pay attention to the plot. 

“Getting another drink,” he mumbles a hair too quickly, standing up and doing his best to not flat-out run across the hall, missing the thumbs-up that Victor gives him. 

Even in the fluorescents of the kitchen, she’s glowing, leaning against the counter and looking down at her phone as she sips from a bottle of cider. She glances up when he walks in, and a coy smile takes over her face as she looks back down at her phone. “How’s lads’ night?” 

“Good.” He crosses to the fridge, grabbing another beer from the bottom shelf that he quickly opens. With a forced nonchalance, he leans against the door of the fridge, jerking his chin towards her as he asks, “So who all is going out?” 

She slides her phone into her bag, taking another sip from her drink as she considers him, and she sees something that has her biting back a chuckle and him feeling self-conscious in a way he usually doesn’t around her. Never before has Hop been so aware that he’s in joggers and in desperate need of a comb. 

“Nessa, Sonia, and Marnie. Bea might pop by – we're trying to get her to loosen up, so we’ll see. Apparently, Piers knows the DJ who’s on tonight and offered to get us into the VIP section, so should be fun.” 

It sounds like a lot of fun, although she honestly could’ve told him they’d be sitting around reading the phonebook and he’d think it would be fun (as long as he gets to sit next to her and she’s still wearing this dress). 

He doesn’t even think, his mind conveniently forgetting he’s already committed to lads’ night as he scratches the back of his neck and asks, “Room for one more?” 

Gloria finishes off her cider, setting the empty bottle on the kitchen counter before walking towards him, painted lips settling into a teasing frown as she places a hand against his cheek. 

“Aw, sorry Hopscotch, but it’s a gals’ night.” She gives his cheek a condescending pat, and winks in a way that has his stomach doing somersaults. “We can hang out later, promise.” 

A strange sense of déjà vu washes over him as he blinks, trying not to fixate on the feeling of her soft hand against his skin. “O-oh yeah, sure. Sure.” 

Hop watches her walk to the front door, giving him a final wave that he returns a second too late, his mind still foggy from her perfume, and she leaves him standing in the kitchen, wondering if it’s too weird to text Sonia and ask her for photos from tonight. 

For some reason, he gets the sense that a five-year-old is laughing at him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fridays are for the boys...until your mate's sister looks really hot, awakening the crush within you, and you're suddenly very interested in what her friday night is looking like


	3. sudden realization

None of them get a time slot for the Hammerlocke gym until tomorrow, and so they grab some sodas from a vending machine and sit on a random set of stairs, talking about nothing in particular because too much has happened in the past week alone. 

Victor rolls his eyes as Gloria teases him for his team, and Hop chuckles between sips. It’s a nice sound, Gloria thinks – the perfect accompaniment to the sunset happening over the walls of the city. She finds herself listening closer to Hop’s laugh these days, getting a sense of comfort that’s hard to come by amidst the chaos of gym challenges and Dynamax disasters. 

_You won’t be laughing when I get into the semifinals,_ Victor signs. 

Gloria exchanges a look with Hop, the boy grinning wide as he mumbles, “Maybe not, but we’ll be laughing when we beat you in the semifinals, mate.” 

He throws up his index and middle finger at the pair, angrily finishing his soda as they laugh at his expense. It’s hard to get a rise out of the usually stoic boy, but It's one of Gloria and Hop’s favorite games; the camaraderie of it sends a strange thrill through Gloria as she leans against Hop, her head nearly on his shoulder. 

The shearling collar of his jacket tickles her cheek as she steals a glance up at him, and he’s looking down at her with this soft smile that does absolutely ludicrous things to her insides. Her cheeks feel warm now, and to distract herself she gives him a cocky grin. “Just don’t laugh too hard, or else it’ll be too easy to beat you.” 

“You know I’d never go easy on you.” His smirk is teasing but earnest, because it’s not untrue and something about that fact has her blinking, caught off-guard with a realization. 

Because Hop’s been by her side, not just throughout her journey but throughout her childhood, and she’s told him things she hasn’t even told Victor, and he’s pushed her to be better while supporting her when she can’t, and she thinks about his laugh, and his smile, and what it’d be like if he could stay by her side and _oh no._

It hits her, full impact, just as he stands, his empty soda can in one hand, his other reaching out as he asks, “Want another?” 

She nods slowly, reaching blindly behind her for her can and handing it over. Too wrapped up in her own thoughts, she doesn’t see her brother signing, _Get one for me too?_

But she definitely sees Hop turn to give her a wink. “I’m only paying for my favorite.” 

It’s a joke, a running gag he has where depending on the day, the mood, or the reaction it would get, he’ll pick a favorite twin. Gloria knows this. She has never given more than three seconds of thought to it. 

In this moment, however, that little comment has her reeling, dissecting his tone and his wink and his everything because suddenly she needs to know that she’s his favorite. Favorite what? Doesn’t matter, not when he’s always been hers. 

She’s drawing her knees up to her chest as Victor complains about them gaining up on him and Hop acquiesces and takes his empty can, agreeing to get all of them another. His form grows smaller as he walks down the stairs, rounding the corner towards the vending machines and leaving the twins alone, none the wiser to the absolute existential crisis he’s sent one of them on. 

Another minute passes, and Gloria’s mouth feels numb but she turns to her brother anyway, face absolutely grave as she swallows the hard truth. “Hey Vic?” He looks at her, slightly worried until she takes a deep breath, eyes unfocused as she whispers, “I think I fancy Hop.” 

Victor stares at here for a long moment, face blank, before he brings up his hands and signs the only thing he can think to. 

_Yeah, no shit._

She lets out a groan, head dropping as she accepts her fate, realizing that with a boy like Hop she was doomed from the start. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hop and Gloria: (being way too affectionate, longing gazes, blatantly flirting) this is just how best friends are :)
> 
> Victor: (looks into the camera like he's on The Office)


	4. confessions

Victor is tired. 

Partly because he just got back from an expedition to Mt. Coronet and his body has yet to adjust to the shifting time zones. 

Also partly because Sonia’s sick today, leaving him and Hop to actually run the lab, and it’s required a lot more running around on errands than he expected. 

But mostly because he’s had to watch his twin and his best friend moon over each other for _years_ now, and it’s all culminated into the nearly half-hour long rant that Hop has been going on as they care for the lab’s garden, going on and on about how he doesn’t want to make things weird, but Gloria’s so great, and he thinks he’s been dropping hints but he’s not sure if they’ve been clear, and, and, and... 

And Victor is _tired._

He sets down his watering can, letting out an exasperated sigh that cuts Hop off mid-sentence before turning to him and grabbing his shoulders, forcing him to stay quiet and look at him as he signs. 

_Tell her._

Hop blinks, fumbling with the clipboard and pencil in his hands as he looks off to the right, at the spliced berry tree that he’s supposed to be taking notes on. His voice is small, the shyness such a stark contrast to his usual self that Victor drops his shoulders, slightly more sympathetic as Hop mumbles, “But what if she doesn’t feel the same?” 

Honestly, it’s a wonder Victor’s put up with this for so long. His face falls into a deadpan. _She does._

“Are you sure?” 

If looks could kill, Hop would be buried six feet under the spliced berry tree. 

Instead, he swallows hard, gripping his clipboard tighter as Victor finally lightens up on the death glare. With a deep breath, Hop runs a hand through his hair, the pen in his hand very nearly getting snagged on a tangle. “How though?” 

The garden grows quiet for a moment as the two think, Victor tilting his head before shaking it, quickly signing, _Gloria’s a bit dense. Be straightforward and just tell her._

He’s right, of course; as much as the two love her, they also know that the Champion’s always a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to things like romance. Besides, it’s better to keep things clear, to avoid the awkward confusion of a messy confession that’ll only drag things out. 

But Hop feels his hands grow clammy at just the idea of saying the words straight to her face, and he loses his appetite at the thought that there’s still a chance she can reject him. As he turns back to his observations, Victor picking up the watering can once more, he decides it can’t hurt to get a second opinion on what to do. 

* * *

Marnie agreed to meet up with him a few days later, in between her gym challenges. They’d sat on the stage, her listening as he rambled on about his dilemma, because as embarrassed as he might be, Marnie’s always been a good listener. 

She nodded her head sagely before taking a sip from her water bottle. “I’m no good with this stuff,” she sighed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, “But you could send her a song. Something romantic. Tell her she should listen and it made you think of her.” 

It’s certainly less nerve-wracking than saying it to her face, but now Hop finds himself lying on his bed, agonizing over the exact phrasing. Eventually, he decides on the second version of the text that he concocted, adds in an emoji, and shoots off the text along with a link to the song (something from a new favorite band of his and a bit on the nose with lyrics about falling for the girl next door). 

**From: Hopscotch [20:13]**   
_heard this and thought of you :)_   
_lmk what you think_

He then tosses his phone onto the opposite side of the bed, burying his face in his hands to keep from calling her and taking it back, playing it all off as a joke. 

A few minutes later, his phone buzzes, and his stomach turns as he slowly picks it up, checking her response with his heart hammering in his chest. 

**From: Glowstick [20:18]**   
_Wow, that was really good! I’ll_   
_have to check out more of their stuff :D_

**From: Glowstick [20:19]**   
_You always know the coolest music_

Hop stares at his screen in silence for the longest three minutes of his life, and then he lets his phone fall on his face as he groans with the realization that she didn't catch any of the romantic intention and he’ll have to try something else. 

* * *

Bede was absolutely smug, and it took every ounce of self-control within Hop to not start a fight immediately. After all, the Ballonlea gym leader took time out of his day to meet with him at the lab, even if he immediately launched into how silly he thought this entire thing was. 

With a far too haughty look on his face, Bede rolled his eyes and told him, “Get her a gift, something undeniably romantic – flowers maybe, although jewelry would be better. You both have bad taste, I’m sure she’ll like whatever you pick out.” 

Mild insults aside, it wasn’t terrible advice, and so Hop finds himself in the Wyndon Stadium locker room, sitting on a bench and waiting for Gloria to finish up her training session. He slides a long box out of the inside pocket of his jacket, fidgeting with it in his hands. He chose a simple golden locket, something small that he can easily picture her wearing, but heart-shaped because...that’s romantic, right? Friends don’t usually get each other heart-shaped jewelry – there's no way this could be ambiguous. 

Footsteps draw his eyes to the entrance, his foot bouncing as quickly as his heart beats while he waits. A moment later, Gloria appears, spotting him with a warm smile as she greets, “Fancy seeing you here! You should’ve texted me; I’d wrap up training a little earlier.” 

“Just wanted to surprise you.” He stands, fumbling with the box as he turns and watches her walk past him and open her locker. His hands are getting sweaty, and if he fusses any more with the ribbon on the box he’ll ruin the delicate wrapping, so the second she has her jacket and bag on, closing her locker, he holds out the necklace box. She blinks, raising a brow at him as he quickly stammers, “I uh, got you something.” 

Her smile is back, if a tad confused as she adjusts her grip on her bag. “What for?” 

“Just...because.” 

“You’re real sweet,” she says, sending his heart soaring only for it to plummet a moment later when she gently pushes his hand holding the box back towards his chest, adding sheepishly, “But I don’t have anything for you.” 

Hop shakes his head. “That’s fine, really.” 

“I know, I know, but...” She fidgets with the sleeves of her jacket, cheeks taking on a shade of pink that has him nearly distracted from his mission with how adorable it is. When she glances back up at him, she gives him a wink. “Well, I just feel bad. Save it for my birthday?” 

He could scream. She’s never been good with gifts, and he knows that, so he doesn’t know why he expected anything else from her. Gloria gets too shy about being doted on, is always so quick to deflect it. 

With a defeated smile, he slides the box back into his pocket, because if he says anything else, tries to get her to open it at this point, then he’ll have to actually tell her how he feels and that is just about the last thing he wants to do now. 

The air between them is slightly awkward, so she clears her throat, looping her arm around his as she asks, “Since you came all the way here, wanna grab a bite? My treat.” 

He very nearly tells her that now she’s the one who’s giving him something, that he wants to spoil her like she always finds a way to spoil him, but she’s giving him that one crooked little smile that has him simply smiling back, nodding as they walk out of the locker room. 

There’s always next time. 

* * *

Leon was no help. 

Sonia was a little more help. 

They were his last resort, because sure enough, when he approached the two in the living room while they were cuddled up on the couch and asked for advice, he had to suffer half an eternity of teasing, only for Leon to then have the nerve to shamelessly declare, “Oh, I didn’t confess to Sonia.” 

She snuggled closer into his side, smirking at Hop’s absolutely disgruntled expression as she explained, “Lee was even worse than Gloria. I basically had to kiss him for him to realize.” Hop paled at that, calculations running through his mind as she tilted her head, slightly confused. “But haven’t you tried just telling her?” 

He’d quickly excused himself after that, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing the brilliant blush on his cheeks as he escaped back to his room. 

A blush that’s now making a comeback as he sits next to Gloria on a mossy fence on Route 1, Sonia’s words reverberating in his head. 

Stealing a glance at her out of the corner of his eye proves to be a mistake, as he flushes three shades deeper at the sight of her smiling peacefully out at the fields, her bare legs swinging in the warm breeze that ruffles her dress. 

Of course, Hop has thought about kissing her before, in a situation not unlike this one. But there’s a huge hurdle from thinking to doing, one he can’t quite push himself to make, no matter how long the silence stretches. 

“I’m glad we still get to see each other so often.” She looks up at him, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear before smiling wide, and he swears his heart stops for a moment. “I was nervous we’d both be too busy, and I didn’t know what I was gonna do without my best mate.” 

Well, he can’t _not_ kiss her after that. 

Still, he hesitates, looking down at her with wide eyes as she turns her attention back to the hills. Before he can overthink it, he leans down, his lips brushing against her warm cheek for a fraction of a second, and then he’s pulling as far back as possible, bracing himself for the worst. 

She blinks, lips parted as she catches his eye, and he thinks, mercifully, that she finally understands. 

And then Gloria’s leaning over and pulling him into a half hug as she coos, “Lucky to have such a cute best friend.” 

Which is...is that a rejection? Hop looks down at her, his own arm wrapping around her shoulder to return the hug even as the gears in his head work overtime to make sense of what’s just happened. It could be a soft “no,” but she’s smiling up at him without a hint of discomfort or surprise. A sense of dread creeps over him as he realizes that she took it platonically, and he doesn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise. 

“Yeah, me too,” he mumbles instead. 

It’s true, but it’s not the whole truth, and so Hop plasters on a smile and fights the urge to tell her that she’s his very best friend and so much more to him. 

* * *

Victor is _s_ _o tired._

Hop relays every failed confession to him when they’re at work, and because Victor is a good friend he listens, and he laments along with him, and he keeps himself from pulling out “I told you so.” Instead, he exercises the patience of a saint, and that’s wearing him out quickly when he realizes that at this rate it’ll be another ten years before this mess takes care of itself. 

And if he has to put up with this for even just another week, he’s going to pass out from exhaustion. 

He’s in the back of the lab with Hop, going through slides of Wishing Stars, when the front door opens. Sonia’s voice chirps from the kitchen, “Hey Gloria!” 

Victor looks up from his microscope to see Hop next to him, body frozen and eyes wide with fear as Gloria’s voice carries through the air. “Hi Sonia – is Hop here?” 

“In the back with Vic.” 

“Is it okay if I borrow him for a second?” 

Hop looks around, sheer panic written on his face, and his eyes settle on the broom closet. Acting on pure instinct, he begins walking towards it, only for Victor cut him off and grab him by the arm, ignoring his weak protests as he drags the other assistant towards the front. 

Sonia and Gloria glance over at them, their conversation grinding to a halt at the sight of Victor frowning as he drags a reluctant Hop behind him. 

“Is now a bad time?” Gloria asks, question ending in a giggle as Hop breaks free of Victor’s grasp. Sonia raises a brow at the two before shaking her head, turning back to her tea and datasheets at the kitchen table. The Champion shifts her weight, looking between the pair of assistants as she adds, “Victor said you had something to tell me.” 

Every ounce of color drains out of Hop’s face as he lifts his hands, glancing around and desperate to avoid her eyes. “Oh, n-no, not–” 

Forget if looks could kill. 

The glare that Victor gives him wouldn’t even leave a body to identify. 

Hop swallows hard, turning back to Gloria with a nervous smile. “Can we talk outside?” 

She nods, a worried wrinkle forming between her brows as they walk out the front door. He leans against one of the front windows of the lab, thankful that the street is relatively empty. Gloria stands next to him, arms behind her back as she looks up at him, patient and confused. 

Hop meets her eyes for a second, and it’s too much, so he looks back down at his feet as he scratches the back of his neck. 

“Is everything okay?” Her voice isn’t quite worried, but it’s not as playful as it once was, which sends him into another panic because the last thing he ever wants to do is worry her. 

“Yeah, it’s not...well, I guess it’s important, but it’s not anything serious. Er, maybe it is? I’m not...” 

His voice peters off into a weak mumble, and his hands slowly stop gesticulating to instead hang strangely in front of his chest. He very nearly cuts his losses then and there, deciding he’d rather just go back inside and pretend this never happened than embarrass himself further, but Gloria has a sparkle in her eyes as she laughs behind her hand, guiltily amused at his strange display. 

The corner of his lips quirks up, and he shoves his hands into his pockets as the sound of her giggles helps untie the knot of anxiety in his chest. “Should probably just spit it out, shouldn’t I?” 

“Probably,” she says with a faux-sage nod, the remnants of her laughter forming a lopsided smile. 

But looking at her while thinking of what he’s about to say makes his stomach turn, so he shuts his eyes, taking a deep breath as his brows knit together in concentration. 

“I like you.” 

He’s not sure what he expects, but it’s not the silence that follows. Hop cracks open one eye, only to find that Gloria’s looking at him, clearly confused as she chuckles, “Well yeah, I should hope so.” 

His shoulders drop as that all too familiar sensation of missing the mark comes over him. It would be an easy out to take, to spin this all as some elaborate show of friendship, but Hop has come too far to go back now (and he gets the feeling Victor might really murder him at this point). 

“No, like,” he falters, struggling to walk the line of not being brave enough to say too much versus being too frustrated to say too little, “As more than a friend.” 

“Right, we’re best friends.” 

She’s so earnest that it only adds to his frustration, and Hop is torn between laughing and crying as he huffs and plows on. “Have you ever thought about us being more than that?” 

Her brows furrow. “I’m not sure what that means.” 

“Y’know, best friends but...” 

“But?” 

“More affectionate.” 

“Oh, like when you kissed me on the cheek.” 

“Not platonic.” 

“I’m just not sure what you’re–” 

“Arceus’ sake, Glo, _I’m in love with you!”_

It’s absurdly quiet in Wedgehurst, making Gloria’s silence all the louder. Hop stares down at her, red-faced and shaking, watching as her face unwinds from confusion and falls slack in surprise. Her eyes are wide with realization as a blush slowly crawls across her cheeks and to the tips of her ears. 

She blinks once, twice, and then whispers a breathless, “Oh.” 

He nods, and his tongue is too big for his mouth suddenly but he still manages to mumble, “Yeah.” 

Her blush goes from carnation to firetruck as she holds his gaze, and then her face breaks into a wide smile that has a swarm of Butterfree flutter in his throat. _“Oh.”_

_“Yeah.”_ He’s mirroring her smile now, and she’s laughing again as she tucks her hair behind her ears, giddy and nervous and finally understanding. The last of the nerves leaves him as he reaches for her hands, slowly intertwining their fingers, searching her face for the slightest sign of hesitation but only finding excitement. “Fair to say you feel the same?” 

All she can manage is a nod, biting her lip as she looks up at him. 

“Ace.” His eyes are slightly unfocused, glazed over in something hazy and sugary as he unabashedly stares at her lips, too lost in the freedom of finally having it all out there to be self-conscious anymore. “Can I kiss you now?” 

With another nod from her, he leans down, brushing his lips against hers until she pulls him further down, deepening it with a smile as he wraps his arms around her like he’s wanted to for as long as he can remember. 

* * *

Sonia takes another sip, feeling just a little creepy that she’s watching one of her assistants and the Champion make out, but then they decided to go and have a romantic moment right in front of her lab’s window. She turns, looking to the chair across from her as she chuckles, “Oi Victor, what did you...” 

But the boy is passed out, head resting on his arms as he takes a nap on the table. Sonia gives his sleeping form a sympathetic smile before taking another sip of tea. 

“Guess he was tired.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gloria, Hop, and Victor share 5 brain cells and Victor has 3 of them at any given point in time
> 
> also considering his older brother's catchphrase is "let's have a champion time," you can't tell me Hop wouldn't earnestly say something along the lines of "ace/cool" immediately after confessing


	5. applin confession

“Y’know, we’ve never actually traded before.” 

Gloria looks over at Hop, raising a brow because there’s something just a little off in his voice. He’s picking at his plate of food, not looking at her but at the tattered tapestry behind her – try as Sonia might, it’s proven more difficult to acquire the heirloom from Bob’s Your Uncle. Apparently, the fact that it’s a historic artifact doesn’t override the receipt that the owner has. 

Hop opens his mouth to say something else, but a clatter of dishes from the back and a large group a few tables away drown out his voice. It’s a wonder they managed to get a table so quickly during the dinner rush, but then Gloria’s status as Champion definitely comes with some perks. 

She leans forward, setting down her mug of cocoa as she asks, “Come again?” 

He stifles a smile at how her nose scrunches up, instead simply shrugging as he repeats himself, forcing his voice to be even and calm despite how his leg is bouncing under the table. “I said it’s odd that we’re best mates and rivals and still haven’t traded Pokémon, so we should fix that. Just a quick surprise trade, maybe.” 

With a nod she sits back, chewing on her bottom lip as she thinks. He’s right; it’s almost laughable that they’ve been trainers for so long, friends for even longer, and they haven’t ever traded. Then again, their gym challenge was a bit more chaotic than most, and even after the tournament they haven’t really had the time. Gloria considers what Pokémon she would even give him, now that they both have their own well-established teams. 

An idea occurs to her, one that has her looking back up at him with a smile as suspicious as his own expression. 

“All right, give me a week.” 

* * *

He does, and she worries that it’s still not enough time because she ends up having a slew of challengers that she didn’t expect. 

But she makes time for it, sets aside an afternoon because he’s more than worth it, and it’s vital that she gets this particular message across when they’ve been skirting around it for a while now. 

Hop is the one who suggests they do it in the front garden of her house on her day off, and she finds herself leaning against the stone wall, nervously patting the Budew at her feet as she fidgets with the Pokéball in her hand. 

“Wotcher, Glo!” 

Her heart skitters, sinks, and then flies into her throat when she hears his voice, looks over to see him walking over the bridge, with the morning sun outlining his form. Over the years he’s grown taller, and though his smile is still as boyish as ever, his jawline and cheekbones have grown sharper, which she thinks is a silly thing to notice, and an even sillier thing to think about in her daydreams (and yet she goes and does just that). 

“Took you long enough,” she teases when she finally gets her voice back, watching him walk up the path and stop just before her as she smirks, “What, did you finally lose your sense of direction like Lee?” 

He scowls, but his voice lacks any bite as he slides his hands into the pockets of his joggers and pulling out a Pokéball. “Awfully rude to say to the person who spent several hours catching this for you.” 

The words send a thrill down her spine that lands in her stomach and blooms into a pleasant warmth. She wonders if he knows that he’s as charming as he is; she’d tell him every day if it wouldn’t give her away. In fact, she’s tempted to say so now, but her throat’s gone dry so instead she holds out her own Pokéball and an empty hand, finally completing their first official trade. 

They stand in silence for a moment, staring at each other before they laugh, eyes going to the ground sheepishly. Hop’s the one who speaks up first, clearing his throat before chuckling, “Is it poor taste to see what we got in front of the other person?” 

“I was kind of hoping you’d check right now.” Gloria bites her lip, praying her flush isn’t noticeable. 

It is. It derails Hop’s train of thought, leaves him openly staring at her for a moment too long before he shakes his head, refocusing. “On the count of three?” 

She gives him a crooked grin. “One.” 

“Two.” 

“Three.” 

There’s a flash of light, and then they’re staring with wide eyes as two Applin float down, landing in their outstretched palms and blinking up at them. 

Their eyes meet, and he’s gaping at her as she carefully brings the little Applin to her chest, smiling down as the creature lets out a happy little cry. She looks up at Hop, and his own smile is slowly spreading across his lips and _Arceus_ he’s charming, and now she knows she can say it, can tell him all the little things about him that she’s collected over the years and held close to her heart. 

But for now, she only laughs. “I suppose great minds think alike.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something short and sweet that now has me wondering...does the applin population ever dip dangerously low because of the myth...what are the conservation practices of Galar...


	6. role reversal

Hop wedges his phone between his cheek and his shoulder, shuffling through his gym bag for his apartment keys as on the other end of the line, Sonia asks, “Are you sure it’s okay? I could always guilt Lee back into doing it.” 

“He’s up to his neck in Battle Tower renovations,” he mumbles, opening his front door and stepping inside his apartment, dropping his bag and toeing off his sneakers. After a press conference, two interviews, and a training session, he’s absolutely ravenous and heads straight to the kitchen where he knows some leftover pasta is waiting for him. He puts the Rotomphone on speaker, letting it float next to him as he walks down the short hallway. “Really, it’s no sweat. Quick tour like that won’t take more than half an hour.” 

Sonia hums, and it blends with the hum of the microwave heating up his dinner. “If you say so. I told her to be there around five, if that’s all right?” 

The microwave beeps at him, and he grabs a fork before taking the cardboard box out. “Perfect, I’ll have finished up training by then. What’s her name?” 

“Gloria.” 

“Will she be in a lab coat?” 

There’s a laugh on the other end of the call while Hop sets himself up on the couch, careful to not spill before tucking into his pasta; it’s not as good reheated, but he hasn’t had the chance to go grocery shopping in nearly two weeks, so it’ll do just fine. 

“Probably not – she's more of a cardigan girl.” There’s the shuffling of something like papers, and then Sonia’s voice is back. “Be on the lookout for a pale girl with short brown hair, brown eyes, and a couple inches shorter than me.” 

“So the poster child for ‘girl next door?’” 

“Pretty much.” 

_Huh, she sounds like she might be my type,_ he thinks in the back of his mind, because given his schedule it’s been a minute since he actually went on a date. 

“Oh no, she’s your type, isn’t she?” 

He sits up straighter, swallowing a bite of pasta as he bristles. “What does that mean?” 

“It _means_ I don’t want you distracting her or scaring her off,” Sonia tuts, though her voice is halfway to another laugh as she continues, “Sycamore still won’t forgive me for stealing her from him, so I don’t need you giving her a reason to run back to that internship.” 

Hop frowns at the Rotomphone until the defensiveness gives way to a smirk. “Did Magnolia ever lecture Leon when he was distracting _you_?” 

“Sod off!” His laugh fills the apartment as he tries not to choke on pasta. Her tone is clipped now, and he knows her well enough that he can practically see the blush on her face despite the harsh consonants. “Gloria. Five PM. No funny business.” 

“No funny business,” he echoes with a roll of his eyes, and then the call ends and he goes back to dinner, his apartment quiet once more. 

* * *

Sonia’s right – she isn’t wearing a lab coat, but a grey wooly cardigan. 

(Also she’s definitely his type.) 

The stadium has been fairly empty all day, what with no matches scheduled, so she’s easy to spot. She’s reading the dedication plaque on the wall as she waits with this little smile that has him grinning on reflex. 

“Gloria?” 

He holds out a hand and she shakes it firmly, letting out a low whistle followed closely by a chuckle that has no business making his heartbeat stutter. “Well what do you know? Sonia wasn’t kidding – I actually get to meet the Champion himself.” 

“I’ll do you one better and put us on a first-name basis.” He throws in a wink, and her lopsided smile is back as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. With a quick jerk of his chin towards a back door being guarded by a League staff member, he asks, “Shall we?” 

“Lead the way, Hop.” 

It’s honestly unfair how nice his name sounds coming out of her mouth, how it puts a little – for lack of a better word – hop in his step as they make their way further into the stadium. In an effort to distract himself, he decides to make some small talk. “So, you’ve ever seen a match here?” 

“All the time when I was a kid.” She’s looking at the framed jerseys that line the wall, but when she feels his curious gaze, she glances up at him. “I grew up a few streets away, so we had season passes.” 

There’s a wealth of questions he can ask, and he wants to go through each and every one of them, wants her to keep talking because she has this cute lilt to her voice, but he gets the feeling that would go against Sonia’s specific orders of “no funny business.” Instead, he settles on the most innocent one he has. “Who’s ‘we?’” 

Her face lights up for a moment as they turn a corner. “My mum and brother, Victor. Maybe you remember him? He battled you in the semifinals.” 

He does remember him; his team gave him quite a bit of trouble whenever they would battle. Looking at her now, he can see the family resemblance, nearly kicks himself for not getting it sooner. “Right. He’s mentoring under Kabu now, isn’t he?” 

She nods, and their steps are slowing now, as if making way for the natural rhythm of their conversation. Hop isn’t quite sure if he’s making this up in his head, but then she’s leaning just a little closer to him, biting her lip, and he’s fairly certain there’s something he hasn’t felt in a while happening here between them. 

“He is, and I reckon he’ll be trying to challenge you soon.” 

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out.” She giggles behind her hand, and he’ll be damned if that’s not the cutest thing he’s seen. Some voice in the back of his mind (that sounds suspiciously like Sonia) is telling him that they should really focus on the stadium’s infrastructure, but that part is quickly silenced by the growing faction of his brain that’d like to know everything he can about the little scientist before him. “And what about you? Willing to challenge me on my new home turf?” 

A shake of her head has a few strands of her hair flying into her face, and his fingers flex with the need to brush them away. “Afraid I’m not the battling type. Never had the knack for it, and got this pesky interest in studying forms of temporary evolution.” 

“Is that how you ended up in Kalos?” 

Her eyes widen and then narrow a moment, shining in amusement as he realizes he’s let slip the little information he had on her thanks to Sonia. She doesn’t question it, though, instead sidling just a hair closer as she teases, “You’re asking an awful lot of personal questions for someone who’s just supposed to be giving me a tour.” 

He sighs, putting on a show of self-deprecation as he runs a hand through his hair. “And I even went and promised Sonia that I’d be on my best behavior.” 

“I won’t tell her if you don’t,” she whispers conspiratorially, waggling her brows until he snorts a laugh, which makes that crooked smile reappear on her lips. 

Hop decides he likes looking at her lips, but now is probably not the time to be doing that. He takes a moment to think, and he remembers that he still doesn’t want to go grocery shopping, and he figures that he isn’t _technically_ distracting her if they’re both off the clock, and he comes up with his favorite idea so far as Champion. 

“That’s awfully nice of you to offer – maybe I should treat you to dinner after this to repay you.” 

Gloria hums, and her cheeks are pink as she tilts her head. “Maybe you should.” 

* * *

He does. 

And he still doesn’t get to ask every question he has for her, but he does get to listen to her ramble about Dynamax with a goofy grin on his face as they take a walk in the vague direction of his apartment. If he’s being honest, he doesn’t understand half of it, but it means he gets to listen to her voice and see how her eyes just light up as she gesticulates. He’ll ask Sonia for some recommendations on journal articles later, so that next time he’s better equipped to respond, to understand how smart she truly is. 

“Next time” might be a little presumptuous, but then neither of them seem willing to end even the first time, as she hasn’t excused herself. He stops at a quiet street corner, thankful that no fans have spotted him so far to interrupt... 

Whatever this is. Is it a date? They’ve certainly been flirting, or maybe she just naturally comes off this way and he’s misreading things. 

She looks up at him, about to ask when he cuts her off with a smirk. “Question for the professor-in-training, and this one might require all your expertise.” 

“I can certainly try,” she replies smoothly, admiring how the streetlight warms his eyes to pure gold. 

“Would you, in your professional opinion, call this a date?” 

Her lips part for a moment, and then she’s smiling up at him with an intent he can’t decipher. When she speaks, her voice dips low into something that sends a shiver down his spine. “Well, it’s not a proper date unless there’s a goodnight kiss.” 

He hums, nodding slowly before his face breaks into a wide grin and he’s stepping close to her, one hand tracing up her arm with a featherlight touch as the other cups the side of her face. As he leans down, he hears her breath hitch, and it makes the corner of his lip twitch upwards as he mumbles, “Then you should know that I’m not one to half-ass anything.” 

She smiles for just a moment, and then his lips are on her and she finds that he’s absolutely right, melting into his grip as he leaves her breathless. 

When they part for air, she keeps him close, arms wrapped around his neck as he leans his forehead against hers. She nearly goes cross-eyed trying to look at his smile, but it’s worth it and has her giggling in a way that only makes him grin wider. 

Sonia’s voice very nearly makes a comeback in his mind, but he silences it because he knows this isn’t any funny business; in fact, it’s very serious, and so he has to admit to Gloria in a hushed whisper, “I’m afraid that wasn’t my best work. Can I try again?” 

Her laugh is warm and bright and cut short as she leans up to meet him once more, nipping at his lip in a way that has Hop thinking, for the first time since he became Champion, that he’s finally met his match. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not sure what this AU is but take it and know that there is no version in which these two don't immediately hit it off, feeling like they've known each other for years


	7. camping in slumbering weald

“Thinking I might try my luck in the woods.” 

Hop yawns, lips settling into a sympathetic but tired smile as his Rotomphone floats in front of his face. He burrows further into the blankets on his bed, because he’s downright exhausted but Gloria’s been gone on this press tour for nearly a week and this is the only chance they’ve had to talk so far. 

Evidently, he’s not the only one who’s tired. 

They’ve been covering up her dark circles before she’s on camera, but even on the small screen he can see them clear as day as she stands in a hotel bathroom, washing her face before leaning on the sink counter, cheek pressed up against the marble as she gives him a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. 

“Just walk right into the Slumbering Weald, embrace my new life as a reclusive hermit. Thoughts?” 

With the week they’ve both had, it’s tempting. He hums, voice muffled by his pillow, “You could do it, but then you’d be short one boyfriend.” 

“Then I’ll just have to take you with me.” She props her chin on the palm of her hand, looking to the right of her phone, eyes glazed over in a thought that has her sighing, “You and me and absolutely nothing to do for the rest of our lives.” 

When she looks back at the screen, he’s lost in his own thoughts, and then he’s blinking out of it with a wide, mischievous smile. 

“Let’s do it.” 

* * *

Technically, they don’t just walk into the woods, considering they have a map and camping equipment with them, and they go for a long weekend instead of the rest of their lives. 

But that doesn’t particularly matter when Gloria is teasing him about trying to start a fire, hugging him from behind and laughing into his shoulder blade. The second they stepped past that gate, tension in her shoulders began to melt, and she hasn’t been able to stop smiling, to stop holding onto him in some form because just being able to touch him like the lovesick teenager she is makes her giddy. 

Hop is just as clingy though, if not more so, and he didn’t even realize how stressed he was until they’re making dinner and he’s stirring the pot and lets out a sigh that unwinds a pit in his gut. 

True to what she wants, their day is filled with nothing. They faff about, let their teams out to play, take a hike around the forest (and taking only one wrong turn); all in all, nothing really happens, and as they lay on a blanket looking up at the stars, neither of them can picture a better day. 

Her head is on his chest, one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders as the other lifts, pointing out a constellation to her. The silence that follows is nice, warm and languid like the breeze blowing past. He feels her body shift, stiffen slightly, and then she’s whispering just above his heart, “Sometimes I’m scared that what happened to Leon will happen to me.” 

He knows exactly what she means, has had that fear play out in his own mind before. Getting swept up in a busy schedule, becoming too much of an icon to the point of losing fragments of your humanity, losing the people who make you feel the most human – it was a cautionary tale when it was happening to his older brother, one that found a better ending when he, ironically, took his biggest loss. 

It’s a little scarier when it’s happening to Gloria, to the girl that means so much to him but ultimately doesn’t have an actual obligation. 

His arm pulls her impossibly closer to him as he replies, “Then I’ll drag you out to the woods so we can be nobodies. Not in a creepy way, and with your permission, ‘course.” 

She snorts, lifting her head to give him a little smile before kissing the corner of his mouth. 

“I’d love to be nobody with you.” 

He grins back at her, and she settles back against his chest, her fingers tracing the collar of his shirt as he points out more stars, more stories that have been lost to time, like theirs might one day be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we've reached the end of the week in the sappiest way possible, hope you all enjoyed the ride and thank you for reading! <3


End file.
